A new play, which tells the story of the buzzing East Street Market in the 1950s, has a four-night theatre run this June.
The People’s Company presents ‘Once Upon a Market,’ at Southwark Playhouse, Borough – centred around one of London’s oldest, largest and busiest markets.
East Street Market, just off Walworth Road, opened in 1880 and is still going today.
Directed by Mary Hayden, the play is set in the year 1952, soon after the death of King George VI on the eve of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
The people working and living on East Street have mixed feelings about the monarchy, and they’re letting it be known.
When the mysterious miracle worker Ras Prince Monolulu returns to East Street after several years away, their ideas about royalty and identity are challenged by his unique larger-than-life philosophy.
Ras Prince Monolulu (26 October 1881 – 14 February 1965), was a horse-racing tipster – someone who gave information about the likely winner of the race to people, in exchange for money – on East Street Market in Walworth and Petticoat Lane in East London.
He has been described as ‘something of an institution’ on the British racing scene from the 1920s until the time of his death.
He was particularly noticeable for his brightly coloured clothing; as a tipster, one of his best-known phrases was the cry “I gotta horse!”, which was subsequently the title of his memoirs.
Not only this, Monolulu was one of the first black people to appear on British television. He went on to become an international celebrity.
Taking inspiration from the real-life Prince Monolulu, the play aims to showcase a world where the storyteller is king and magic can be found on every street corner.
The People’s Company is an open and inclusive theatre company founded by John Whelan and based at Southwark Playhouse.
They aim to give local people a voice in their community, empowering creativity and giving members a space in Southwark’s creative scene. It is free to join and accepts locals of all skill levels.
When: Wednesday 26 – Saturday 29 June at 7:30 pm
Where: Southwark Playhouse Borough, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6BD
Book tickets: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/once-upon-a-market